Setup Guide

25 Dell EMC PowerEdge MX SmartFabric Configuration and Troubleshooting Guide
template is deployed to a target device. The same identity pool can be associated with, or used by, any
number of templates. Only one identity pool can be associated with a template.
Each template will have specific virtual identity needs, based on its configuration. For example, one template
may have iSCSI configured, so it will need appropriate virtual identities for iSCSI operations. Another template
may not have iSCSI configured, but may have FCoE configured, so it will need virtual identities for FCoE
operations but not for iSCSI operations, etc.
For more information on Identity Pools, see PowerEdge MX7000: Templates and Profiles
.
3.11 Other restrictions and guidelines
The following additional restrictions and guidelines are in place when operating in SmartFabric mode:
1. Interconnecting switches in Slots A1/A2 with switches in Slots B1/B2 regardless of chassis is not
supported.
2. When operating with multiple chassis, switches in Slots A1/A2 or Slots B1/B2 in one chassis must be
interconnected only with other Slots A1/A2 or Slots B1/B2 switches respectively. Connecting
switches that reside in Slots A1/A2 in one chassis with switches in Slots B1/B2 in another is not
supported.
3. Uplinks must be symmetrical. If one switch in a SmartFabric has two uplinks, the other switch must
have two uplinks of the same speed.
4. You cannot have a pair of switches in SmartFabric mode uplink to another pair of switches in
SmartFabric mode. A SmartFabric can uplink to a pair of switches in Full Switch mode.
5. VLANs 4001 to 4020 are reserved for internal switch communication and must not be assigned to an
interface.
6. In SmartFabric mode, although you can use the CLI to create VLANs 1 to 4000 and 4021 to 4094,
you cannot assign interfaces to them. For this reason, do not use the CLI to create VLANs in
SmartFabric mode.
7. By default, there is no default VLAN created for a SmartFabric. This is typically VLAN1 and must be
created. See Define VLANs
for more information.
8. When using LACP NIC teaming, the LACP timer must be set to slow.